War of the White Rain
by Gabjas
Summary: When the Pure Ones were defeated, a new era of peace spread through the kingdoms. The owls that helped in the endeavours have long since passed on to Glaumora and their tales are now legends just like the ones they dreamed of when they were only owlets. But all good things must come to an end.
1. The War of The White Rain: Prologue

This is my very first fan fiction. I hope you enjoy it.

"What are you proposing?" the king inquired, his mate looking at him anxiously from the throne beside.

"Get all owlets and expecting mothers to safety immediately. Secure squadrons and ready every resident that is old enough and willing to fight for war." the Great Horned owl explained, gripping the branch that protruded from the hollow wall firmly. "The Great Tree is no longer safe." A chorus of surprised gasps and murmurs escaped from the beaks of the owls in the Parliament.

The queen, an elegant Spotted often admired for her wit as much as beauty, threw her wings around her mate in an embrace. "Alistair, what shall we do?" she whispered frantically as she buried her face in his speckled feathers, her eyelids blinked away tears. "Our children..."

"Althea, we must do what Lord Thatch has advised. He has been a loyal owl of Ga'Hoole from times before even we hatched. His fleet of slipgizzles uncovered various snippets of talk about battle strategies and war against our forces." Alistair dipped his head to the Great Horned that had spoken not long before. "Now, each of the Parliament members will be assigned their own fleet that they will need to prepare for what is to come, is that clear?" the voice of the Spotted owl bellowed.

"Aye." a collective call rang in reply.

"Very well." he said. "Lord Thatch, take the finest fighters and flyers of your chaw. You and Lady Noranna will lead your forces out separately flanking two squadrons of Guardians I have yet to select. The guardians will then veer off and take the front lines of the Pure Ones, hopefully thinning the amount a tad for your soldiers. Your forces will merge when I give the signal." Alistair paused to catch his breath, his chest heaving as he inhaled and exhaled deeply.

A Pygmy owl raised her wing. "Yes, Noranna?"

"With all due respect, my liege." she began with a bow. "My chaw members are not fighters in the slightest. We study the art of healing."

"I am glad you asked that, my dear Noranna. That is exactly my point. We will need not only fighters but healers to tend to our wounded." a few nods of understanding came from the gathering. The king peered at each owl present with his assuring gaze. Lord Thatch, whom his father had been good friends with and he had grown up knowing returned the smile. His decrepit body shook like a leave in his old age, his talons were mangled and he was missing one on his right foot, his mottled feathers lay in constant disarray.

Alistair peered towards a small opening in the wood, gauging the height of the moon in the sky. "Hmm. We will continue this discussion later. You are dismissed." he stated. The owls flooded out of the hollow, chatting and murmuring about war and battle tactics as they left. As the last owls of the Parliament departed, Althea spun to face her mate.

"Alistair, what if you don't come back?" she whimpered.

"My lady, ever since I first met you I was in love. Our first clutch of eggs has yet to hatch, my dear." they both turned in unison to smile at the three eggs that were nestled in a nest where she had perched. "As king, it is my duty to protect the Tree and all that inhabits it with my life. If I die in the fields fighting for what I love, if my sacrifice might mean that you and our children and all the owls of the Tree may be safe, then I did not perish in vain."

The two stood in silence, their eyes locked. Althea spoke once more in a quavering voice. "But you will come back, Ali, won't you?"

"I will try, my dear. I will try."


	2. Chapter One

The night was young and the moon hung low, a sliver in the fabric of night. The sea was calm; it lapped against the shores of an isle on which rested an immense tree, its branches spread in all directions, reaching to embrace the stars. The tranquility of the Tree was only interrupted by the collective humming of the gizzards of several young owlets, that were about to wake to find a variety of small objects placed beneath their nests, these would determine the chaw they had been tapped for.

Deep within the tree, a Barn owl was nestled in the midst of soft layers of moss and twigs and strands of dried grass entwined together. She had been awake for sometime, her obsidian eyes fixed on the dying coals of the fire before her.

"Marcella?" a yawn came from one of the other figures in the hollow. The Pygmy owl stepped towards the fire and was immediately bathed in the glow of the hearth.

"Noga, you're awake." the Barn owl said, her feathers ruffling in excitement. "Are you ready to find out our chaws?"

"Of course! I do hope I get Navigation. And you?" the Pygmy mused, plopping herself beside her friend. Marcella shrugged leisurely.

"Meh. As long as it isn't Ga'Hoolology, I'm happy." she smirked. The Barn owl faced her nest and hesitantly showed it away to reveal a molted feather. At first, it had appeared as if nothing had been there, as molted feathers were a common item to find; but she soon found the distinctive silver token placed beside it. "Search-and-Rescue!" she cried, relieved to find it was a chaw she could actually stand.

Marcella swiveled her head to face the Pygmy, excitement gleaming in her eyes. "Noga! What did you get?"

"...Navigation." she said quietly, staring at the token as if with disbelief. "Navigation."

"Thank Glaux! We both got great -" Marcella was interrupted by a soft rapping on the wood near the hollow entrance. The two owlets exchanged puzzled glances as Marcella stood slowly to her talons. "Come in." she called. A Short-Eared owl burst in abruptly, looking at the two frantically.

"Come quickly. There is a meeting in the Great Hollow, all residents of the Tree are required to attend." he gasped and with a nod, had vanished as quickly as he had come. Marcella stood in shock.

"A meeting? What could possibly be happening that would need all the inhabitants of the Tree?"

"Something serious." Noga said grimly.


	3. Chapter Two

Marcella and Noga had jostled their way through the dense crowd of owls and owlets alike, they seemed to form a sea as vast as the one that surrounded the isle. Madame Bramble, the resident singer, was currently belting out a gale of notes accompanied by the soft and expert plucking of the infamous Grass Harp. She finished and a round of applause erupted from the crowd.

"Thank you, thank you!" she bellowed, taking a sweeping bow as the harp and herself were escorted off the platform by one of her choir students, whom was holding a glass of binglejuice for her. Marcella rolled her eyes.

"Look, Marcella! It's the king." Noga mused, astonished by his presence. The barn owl swiveled her head to see King Alistair, a wise Spotted owl and his queen, Althea. The entire crowd immediately tilted their heads and bowed before them. He rose a wing and churred.

"Arise." he said and the gathering stood once again to their talons. "Long ago, the owls of legend, The Band of Soren, stood where we stand. This Great Tree has sheltered our kind for centuries. And now after decades of peace between the kingdoms, an ancient evil threatens us once more." his kind an expression was now solemn as a gasp rose from the crowd. Owlets clung to their parents for protection and owls began to murmur to each other.

"Yes, my friends." he said grimly. "The Pure Ones have returned. There had been rumours that their forces had returned, but until now we had addressed them as just that, rumours. Slipgizzles were sent to investigate the canyons where the Pure Ones held their headquarters, few returned with their lives, but they managed to uncover a key secret."

"War. The Pure Ones and the Great Tree are soon to be at war."

The audience leapt into a frenzy, several outbursts and gasps added to the clamor. Marcella and Noga stared at each other, unable to speak. Marcella gulped. Owls were weeping and clutching their children or mates. King Alistair only stood with a frown, surveying the cluster of owls with his soft eyes. The noise eventually died down and the gathering fixed their eyes on their King.

"It is our time to give back to the Tree. To join together and defend our home and all the owl kingdoms from a force that seeks to destroy everything we hold dear. There will be dark times. There will be death and destruction and fear. There will be ones who will not return." he continued. Althea placed a comforting wing on his shoulder.

"But where there is darkness, we will be the light. Where there is death there are those that are saved. Where there is destruction there will be amends. Where there is fear there will be the love of friends and families and the watching gaze of Glaux over us. For where there is evil, there are the Guardians of Ga'Hoole!" the Spotted owl raised his wings and a roar of cheers and applause consumed the Great Hollow.

"Expectant mothers and owlets will stay in the Tree during the attack. We will be posting numerous guards throughout the Tree to assure their safety. All owls that are of able body and wish to fight with us is welcome. You will train under one the Parliament members. Certain chaws will be selecting some of their most advanced students to take up arms as well."

"Thank you, please return to your daily routines for now. The Parliament shall continue to discuss battle tactics." the King and Queen were led out by a few guards, the rybs following. Marcella turned to the Pygmy perched beside her, her gizzard humming.

"I am going to fight." she yelled over the collective noise of the owls.

"What?" Noga screamed, her eyes wide.

"I am going to fight! I want to fight."


End file.
